


meeting the parents

by WattStalf



Series: Medical Malpractice OTP [14]
Category: Durarara!!
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 22:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9094258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: Oh, you'd be surprised! People have been finding ways to dislike me for as long as I can remember!





	

**Author's Note:**

> i dunno i just  
> imagine bringing shingen home to meet your parents  
> this probably could have been longer but youknow me

Emilia never keeps her relationship a secret from her parents. They're able to tell, even before she and Shingen begin dating, that there's something going on with her, and she supposes that her crush really is that obvious. When asked if she's seeing someone then, she's unable to lie and eventually confesses that she isn't, but that she's interested in someone at work.

“Well, it's about time,” her mother says. “No offense, honey. Your father and I are proud of you, and it did turn out to be for the best that you focused on schoolwork and made it as far as you did, but it's nice to know that you're finally starting to think about that.”

Blushing, she's grateful that she's on the phone and that her mother can't actually see her. “I wouldn't get too excited. This guy, he's really not...attainable?”

“What, because you work with him? Dating a coworker isn't _always_ a bad idea.”

“I know, but I don't think he would ever be interested in someone like me!”

“And why not? You might not realize this, but a lot of people would consider you incredibly attractive, Emilia.”

“Yes, but he's...he's...I don't even know how to describe it!”

“Oh, wow, you've really got it bad, don't you?”

And then, when the unthinkable happens and she and Shingen begin dating, she confesses this to her parents, and her father plays the role of the overprotective parent, asking if the man's intentions are good, and his mother is smug, telling that she told her so, and wanting to know all the details.

“He's an amazing man, really! His name is Shingen, and he's just...oh, I still don't know how to describe him! He's really cool, I've always thought so,” she says. She settles on giving some basic information- that he's from Japan, that he's higher up than her in the company, and finally, that he's a little older than her.

“Oh? How much older? A couple years?”

“Well, his son is only a little bit older than me, so it's not by too much!”

Though she doesn't realize it, this is when her parents begin to grow concerned about her relationship.

~X~

Emilia is a bit nervous to tell her parents that she's gotten married, but she knows that she can't keep it a secret forever. Shingen's proposal was so sudden, and the two of them rushed out to do it so quickly, that her parents never even knew that she was engaged. While her new husband is helping her move in with him and planning their honeymoon, she's steeling her nerves in preparation for calling her parents.

When she tells her mother that she's gotten married, there's a long silence, one that stretches on so long that Emilia is starting to wonder if her mother's hung up on her, if she just didn't hear the click. But then she speaks, saying, “That's...a little sudden, isn't it?”

“It is! We just...went and did it, because...well, we just did!” She finds herself growing flustered as she tries to justify herself. “We weren't ever really engaged, or otherwise, I would have told you sooner.”

“Emilia, are you sure this is a good idea? I know you love this man, but...this is your first relationship. You're rushing things quite a bit, and then there's his age, and you two working together...”

“I thought you said coworkers dating wasn't always a bad thing!”

“That isn't...listen, I'm happy for you, but I just don't want you to do something you're going to regret later. Do you understand?”

Frustrated, Emilia asks to talk to her father next, rather than answering that. All he says is that they've got to meet this man, as soon as possible.

~X~

They don't get around to it until after they're real honeymoon, and she worries that Shingen won't want to do it, but he seems willing. He even goes so far as to say that it makes him feel young again, fretting over what his lover's parents will think of him, but she tells him that it's no laughing matter.

“I thought that they were happy for me, but now I'm not so sure,” she says sadly. “What if they're mean to you? I don't know how anyone could dislike you, but...”

“Oh, you'd be surprised! People have been finding ways to dislike me for as long as I remember!” he boasts, and she groans in distress. “Oh, no, no, I wasn't trying to upset you with that!”

“I just want everyone to be happy and get along.”

“I can't make any promises on their behalf, but, pumpkin, you know I'll do my best for your sake,” he says, trying to sound reassuring.

Still, Emilia worries over it during the time leading up to their trip, and, standing outside her parents' home, hand in hand with Shingen, she is so nervous that she can hardly stand it.

~X~

Emilia's mother opens the door, her husband standing at her side, and has to do a double take when she sees who is standing on her porch. They've been expecting Emilia, and they've been expecting Emilia's husband, but the man standing in front of them is not the man they pictured. Depending on how Emilia described him at the time, their mental image of Shingen shifted, but they never once envisioned him as a man in a white gas mask.

In fact, that is so not what they were expecting that both of them are rendered speechless for a good while, and their daughter beams at them and says, “Hello! I've missed you both so much!”

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” says Shingen, extending the hand that isn't locked with Emilia's for a handshake. In addition to his gas mask, he is wearing a long lab coat over his suit, and a pair of white gloves. Emilia has a lab coat over her clothes as well, and a similar gas mask resting on top of her head.

_Don't tell me he's inducted her into some kind of cult!_

The man stares at Shingen's hand, but does not reach for it, and an uncomfortable amount of time passes before his wife finally shakes his hand herself. She feels silly for being surprised as how warm his hand is; of course, her son-in-law (and, oh, thinking of him like that is strange!) is human, even if his appearance almost makes him seem unreal.

“It's, um, nice to meet you too,” she says. She lets go of his hand and says, “Well, you two might as well come in.” Ushering her husband inside, she leads Emilia and Shingen to the living room, where the two sit down, Emilia appearing as comfortable as when she lived her and Shingen...Shingen not having much of an appearance to read.

“Alright, Dr. Kishitani,” says Emilia's father, once he has finally regained his composure. “Why don't you tell us a little about yourself? And about your intentions with our daughter.”

“Please, feel free to call me Shingen,” he says.

“Fine, Shingen, just answer my question.”

“I don't see why you're questioning my intentions with her when it's pretty plain that they're pure! After all, I did _marry_ her, which is a pretty big commitment considering she wasn't even pregnant!”

Her father balks at this, and her mother asks, “ _Wasn't_ ?”

“Well, of course she...oh, _oh_! She isn't right now either, so there's nothing to worry about there,” he says. Their daughter flushes, but he doesn't seem particularly fazed by any of this. “Anyway, that's just an example, of course. You know how it is with some men these days, hardly any gentlemen left in the world.”

“Then you have to understand why we're so _concerned_ about this...sudden marriage.”

“Please, can't you both listen to me?” asks Emilia. “I keep trying to tell you-”

“Emilia, honey, we love you,” her father says. “We love you so much, and that's why we're concerned. I know you think you know everything about the situation, but we have to...we have to understand things for ourselves, because we love you.”

“But don't you trust me at all?” She looks close to tears.

Her mother interrupts, saying, “This isn't about trusting you, this is about trusting your...husband.”

“You really should put more trust in her,” says Shingen. “She's one of the smartest people I know.”

“Is that what you told her to win her over?”

“I feel for him on my own!” she cries.

“I never told Emilia anything that wasn't true,” he says, and his tone becomes more firm as he speaks, leaving her parents no room to interrupt him. “She is one of the brightest workers I've seen in a very long time, perhaps during my entire time in our company. From the beginning, I was impressed with her, and wanted nothing more than to see her succeed. It was during that time that we began to grow closer and...well, I couldn't help myself.

“Spending so much time with her, and getting to know her like that, I couldn't help falling in love with her. I'm sure she's told you that I've been married before, though I don't know if you know how poorly that ended. I hadn't ever planned on getting involved with anyone after that, but Emilia...Emilia was something special. I never expected her to return my feelings, but she did, and I would never dream of doing anything to hurt her. So, if you don't understand my intentions now, then I'm afraid I have nothing else to say to try to convince you.”

“It's my turn,” says Emilia, “and I want everyone to listen to my side of the story. When I started working, I had a really hard time fitting in there. I was so young that a lot of people didn't believe that I'd earned my achievements, and there were people who thought I was dumb and that they could manipulate me. For a long time, Shingen was my only friend. He was the only person who was nice to me, and who valued me and respected my work. If it weren't for him, I probably would have ended up quitting, but he always believed in me, and that's why I fell in love with him. I know he's older than me, and I know it seems weird, but I love him because he respects me for who I am!”

Both of her parents feel conflicted after listening to the way both of them talk. Though it's true that they have no facial expression to go off of with Shingen, Emilia has such an earnest look on her face, and both of their voices were strong and determined. It's hard not to believe everything they're saying, and it's hard to distrust someone that their daughter really seems to adore so much, someone that seems to adore her just as much and who seems to have her best interests at heart.

They aren't going to accept him right away, of course, and it's going to take work to get used to the fact that she's married to someone at least twice her age, and someone with such eccentric behaviors, but there isn't much they can do about that. She has made it clear that she chose him for a reason that she believes in firmly. Fighting too much will end in her leaving them behind completely, and they already barely see her. Neither want to push her away, and that is what ultimately sways them.

“We're going to give you a chance,” is all her father says at last.

“Yes,” her mother agrees, glad that she and her husband are of the same mind on this one. “I'm sorry we've been so rude, but you have to understand how it feels for us. All of this is so sudden, and then there were so many things we thought were warning signs...”

“Naturally, naturally, I'm sure my presence would be off-putting for any parents!” declares Shingen shamelessly.

“Yes, well, with that in mind,” her father says, “I have a request. Or, rather, a demand. Show us your face, if you want to keeps seeing our daughter!”

~X~

The rest of their visit passes somewhat pleasantly. Shingen gives in to their demands, all while explaining his reasons for wearing a gas mask, and Emilia's mother actually blushes upon making eye contact with him, so Emilia decides to model _her_ mask to distract them. They spend a lot of time getting to know each other, and she and Shingen share stories from work and stories about their relationship, and never give her parents reason to doubt their marriage.

All in all, even though she went in terrified of what they would thing, Emilia leaves, happy knowing that her parents approve of the man she loves more than anything in the world.

 


End file.
